6 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE Raw (Results & Review - January 29)

2. Commentary Nosedive

Uggh. What was wrong with Wade Barrett?

Viewers who value their eardrums and braincells were in for a disappointment Monday night when they learned that Pat McAfee is back – not just for one week, but for good as the new Raw color commentator alongside Michael Cole.

McAfee’s style of filling any silence with inane chatter, jumping up and down and adding little depth or context to the matches and stories do have a certain charm… in limited dosages. But three hours every week of the former NFL punter might prove to be too much for most.

Monday, McAfee called the play-by-play of Damian Priest stomping Tommaso Ciampa’s vest pre-match – because fans couldn’t clearly see that happening right in front of them. He asked what “DIY” means, then quickly proclaimed that he’s a “big DIY person” when Michael Cole explained “do it yourself” to him.

McAfee also seemingly brought Cole down a notch, as he called even fewer wrestling action that usual and misspoke a few times. Overall, not a good night for the commentary team.